


Always, Inevitably

by storytime_teej



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22250125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storytime_teej/pseuds/storytime_teej
Summary: When another exhibition match ends in loss for Raihan, the tensions grow high and emotions spill over.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 137





	Always, Inevitably

**Author's Note:**

> Just a heads up, this is my first fic in a while and it's completely unbeta'd so if anything is off, please don't hesitate to let me know in the comments.
> 
> This is just something that was bouncing around in my head and I had to get it typed out or else I'd never rest.

It was an exhibition match like any other. They'd go up and say their stupid little phrases and do their stupid little poses and after a bit of stupid filler with Raihan doing his absolute best to defeat Leon, he'd always, inevitably, lose. And like always the crowd would cheer, some of it for his _oh so valiant_ effort but mostly for Leon's continued reign as undefeated champion. But for some reason, this match was the straw that broke the camel's back.

He had trained so hard, created a whole new strategy that he was sure was going to work, even made it through four of Leon's pokemon and was about one hit from KOing the next but it wasn't enough. It was _never_ enough. And now he was fuming in the locker room, knuckles bloody from punching the walls. If he had the mind to muster up words, he'd be swearing up a storm but instead all that was coming out was the desperate attempts to keep back sobs.

Why couldn't he have done better? Why couldn't he have trained his pokemon just a little more? Why couldn't he, just this once, have won? His thoughts kept circling like that, always, inevitably, circling back to Leon.

Leon... He was perfect. He was tough, he was charismatic, he was handsome, he was all Raihan would think about, in training and everyday life. The champion had quickly risen to the top and, in doing so, became both Raihan's idol and rival. He had become the object of Raihan's affection. That's why it hurt so much to lose to him every time, because he knew those good natured smiles and reassuring pats on the shoulder, those "maybe next time"s and "you were amazing"s, they all meant nothing to Leon. Nothing but good sportsmanlike conduct performed purely out of pity.

Raihan barely managed to keep back a particularly heavy sob that that thought had brought on and went to wash his face in the sink. He'd face those stupid reporters when he was good and ready, and certainly _not_ when his eyes were still puffy and red. The moment he splashed cold water onto his heated face, the sound of the door clicking shut and footsteps echoed and he wiped at his face quickly, trying to look presentable for the person who so rudely barged into his locker room.

Leon rounded the corner and paused in the bathroom door. _Why_ had Raihan left it open?

"You've been crying." Not a question. His voice was barely above a whisper.

Raihan turned back to the sink, watching the water droplets run into the drain. Like hell he was going to reasons to that when it was so obvious.

Leon stood for a moment, honeycomb eyes watching Raihan, trying to figure out his next step. "Is... is there anything I can do?"

For some reason, the question struck a nerve and suddenly the dragon tamer was seeing red. Raihan whirled on Leon, crossing the space between them before either of them could realize it. He pushed himself into Leon's space and made himself as big as he could.

" _'Anything you can do!?'_ This is _because_ of you! You think I would be in here, lamenting like a pathetic _fool_ , if you weren't so- so fucking _perfect_!?"

Leon flinched at the broken rasp of _"perfect"_ and opened his mouth to speak. "Raihan, I-"

"No! Shut up!" Now that he had already started speaking his mind, Raihan couldn't close the floodgates. Every emotion he'd held back since he'd first fallen for the champion rushed out as more tears swelled and fell. "Just- _Listen_ to me! There's nothing you can do because nothing you do will ever be enough! Because no matter what, you'll never give me what I want! Because _no matter what_ , all you'll ever feel for me is pity and I-"

Raihan's voice broke off with a sudden sob and he turned away, trying to hide himself behind a bloodied hand. If his knuckles still throbbed with pain, he couldn't tell, not with his throat so tight as he choked back more sobs and his eyes stinging with tears and his head pounding with the rush of blood and emotion. He swallowed thickly and tried to keep the quiver from his voice.

"And I don't know if I can handle that," he finished weakly.

The silence stretched between them for much too long and with every passing second, Raihan's crying grew a little louder because with each passing second the feeling of rejection settled heavy on his heart. Just as he began to consider making his escape, Leon finally managed to break the silence.

"You're wrong."

Raihan's eyes slitted and he turned a weak glare on Leon, arm dropping to his side as his frustrations began to bubble up again. "How can I be wrong when you make it so obvious? You think I'm pathetic, just look at the face your making now!"

Indeed, Leon's brows were pinched in a way that could easily be interpreted as pitying, his golden eyes shone with the threat of tears, and his mouth was pressed into a thin almost-frown. But he shook his head and again said, "you're _wrong_."

"Oh... right. I'm sorry, I must be wrong because I'm never right! I never win! Why would that change this time!?"

In that moment, Raihan learned two things about Leon. One: despite being so small compared to the dragon tamer, Leon was not lacking in strength and apparently could easily pin Raihan against the wall, maybe even with a single fist if he wanted to but he was using two at the moment. And two: his eyes really did shine like gold when he got determined, which Raihan had previously thought was simply a trick of the light.

"No. Now _you're_ going to listen to _me_!" Leon crowded himself into Raihan's face, looking for all the world like he'd burst into tears at any moment. "You're wrong because you _amaze_ me! You always have, ever since I saw you in my first league tournament! You're smart and you're funny and you make me want to try harder, be better, _anything_ just to impress you! But you were so wrapped in yourself, so focused on your own defeat that you couldn't see that!"

The thing about high tensions and ramping emotions like these is, once you get them working themselves up in a room, you can't just let them go. They have to build up and squeeze out as much of themselves as they can before everything explodes and finally settles. And that was what Raihan was going to do.

With a forceful shove, he sent the champion stumbling back against the other wall. "That's just the problem! You _are_ impressive, unbelievably so! Maybe even _too_ impressive! I spend every second of every day trying so hard to catch up but, always, inevitably, it's like you're a thousand miles ahead no matter what I do! You're incredible, and I just can't keep up!"

If the gym leader had begun to cry again, he didn't notice. He barely noticed when Leon grabbed his wrist and squeezed, looking into his eyes with a desperation he'd only seen a few times in battle. " _Yes_ , you can! Do you know how close you get to beating me every time we fight?"

"Painfully aware, actually!"

"Then that should be your motivation to beat me!"

"But it's never enough!"

"And you think only getting to see you for matches, and _maybe_ getting touch you, or talk with you for a moment, or even see you smile from across the field is enough for me!? _Chrissake_ , I've been in love with you from the beginning and you get to whine about it 'never being enough'!?"

"If you're so 'in love' with me, then prove it!"

And then everything exploded.

Or at least that's what it felt like when Leon grabbed Raihan's face and pulled him down to crash their lips together, which actually hurt a lot more than Raihan was expecting but he wasn't going to complain, not when Leon, the object of his affections, _was kissing him_. He let his eyes slide closed and kissed back, cupping the back of his head and pressing himself as close as he could get. Leon pressed back too, spinning them around to pin him against the wall once more but this time using his whole body since his hands were busy cupping Raihan's cheeks and wiping away the last lingering tears. They came apart with heavy pants and a look of shock and awe on each of their faces.

" _Now_ do you get it?" Leon looked up at Raihan with all the earnest desperation he'd tried to convey through his kiss.

"You're serious..." Not a question, but it certainly sounded like one the way it hung in the air so tentatively.

Leon didn't answer, but he didn't have to when he was making such a bright smile. He could replace the sun if it ever went out, Raihan mused. Or maybe he couldn't, because then how would Leon kiss him like he was doing at the moment. The gym leader tried to keep him there for as long as he'd allow, savoring every second and committing every detail to memory. He was all too hesitant to let this kiss end but when it did, it was almost worth it, the way Leon was looking at him with all the love he could fit in his eyes.

"So, does this mean we're dating now?" the champion asked a little excitedly, a breathless laugh trailing after his words.

"I- I think so? Yes? I want it to." Raihan's hands were still in that soft purple hair which is why his mouth thought it was still kissing and his mind was still in the clouds where thoughts were a little harder to form.

"Me too, so I guess it does."

They smiled, and the smiles turned into relieved laughter and the laughter turned into more kissing that Raihan hoped would always last until, inevitably, they figured they should get going before people started to ask questions.

"I'll go out the back to avoid most of the press but um, Raihan?"

Raihan turned to Leon who was heading toward the back door, both of them still smiling. "Hm?"

"Put a cold rag on your face, it's all red and your lips look a little swollen. I love you!" And just like that he was gone, disappearing through the door with a wave.

Raihan went to the bathroom mirror and saw that he was indeed red in the face with kiss bitten lips. That was it, he was definitely in love with that man. Right then and there, Raihan decided he would always, inevitably, love Leon with everything he had and he wouldn't stop until Leon stopped being his rival. With any luck, that would never happen.


End file.
